The winners of the 2023 Icelandic Fisheries Bursary Awards were announced at a ceremony held at the Brúin in the Iceland Ocean Cluster Reykjavik today, April 14th 2023.
Following the 2014 Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition, the organisers of the exhibition recognised the need to re-invest in the future of the fishing sector and introduced bursaries awarded to those currently in education within the fishing sector. The first bursaries were awarded in 2017.
The three 2023 winners, out of 21 applicants, are all students at the Icelandic College of Fisheries in Grindavik. They were awarded ISK 300,000 each towards their respective courses. The winners are Kristín Pétursdóttir, who is studying fish-farming, Hreinn Óttar Guðlaugsson, who is studying to be a Marel-processing technician and Dominique Baring, who is studying quality control and fish-farming.
Marianne Rasmussen-Coulling, Events Director, Mercator Media organiser of the Icelandic Fisheries Exhbition 2024, commented:
“It is with great pleasure and pride that Mercator Media Ltd. are back post Covid to again present the Icelandic Fisheries Bursary Awards to worthy students, providing them financial support to either specialise in Marel processing, fish-farming or quality control. Commercial Fishing and aquaculture are principal industries for Icelanders, tirelessly seeking for excellence, and it is important to constantly strengthen the education and knowledge of those who work in that sector. We wish the winners the best of luck and hope that they will contribute to the prosperous Icelandic fishing industry for years to come with their expertise, skills and education.”
Ólafur Jón Arnbjörnsson, Headmaster of the Icelandic College of Fisheries: “The Icelandic Fisheries Bursary Awards do not only represent an important vote of confidence in the college and the work that we do there, but they also recognise the importance of education and training in the industry. They are an incentive for young people and adults to follow this path and are of great significance to our students. I would like to thank the Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition, especially Marianne, for the cooperation between Mercator Media Ltd. and The Icelandic College of Fisheries that has been extremely good and rewarding over the years.”
The Winners:
Kristín Pétursdóttir: “The Icelandic Fisheries Bursary Awards represent a great recognition for me personally, and I am extremely grateful and happy to have received it, which I did not expect at all in advance. The fish farming program at Icelandic College of Fisheries gives me the opportunity to gain knowledge of aquaculture from A to Z and work my way up. The awards also make it easier to get better opportunities in the industry.”
Hreinn Óttar Guðlaugsson: “The bursary awards give me an opportunity for further education and hence better jobs in the future, and undoubtedly personal encouragement as well. I have a great interest in machines and mechanics, inherited from my father. I haven’t been able to work while focusing on my studies and the awards help a lot to improve my finances and support me in my continued studies.”
Dominique Baring: “I am extremely happy and grateful to have received the Icelandic Fisheries Bursary Awards. It is not only an important recognition, but also helps me financially, provides motivation and supports me to continue my studies. I can use it now when I take the next steps in my education, but I intend to study fisheries at the University of Akureyri.”
The applications were assessed by a specialist judging panel from the industry, including Ólafur Jón Arnbjörnsson, Headmaster of the Icelandic College of Fisheries; Sigurjón Elíasson, Global Learning and Development Manager at Marel; Hrefna Karlsdóttir, Senior adviser at Fisheries Iceland; Örn Pálsson, Manager, National Association of Small Boat Owners; and Bjarni Þór Jónsson, Icelandic representative for Mercator Media/The Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition.
Established in the port of Grindavík in 2010, the Icelandic College of Fisheries’ vision is to meet the current requirements of the national fishing and processing industry through the production of suitably trained staff. The college offers training for deck crews, fishing vessel deckhands and shore-based industries in aquaculture and fish processing.
Fishing gear technology apprenticeships are also offered in association with the Suðurnes Comprehensive College in Reykjanesbær. The initial courses have since been expanded to include more in-depth, specialised courses of specialised study, which include Quality Control, Fish Processing and Fish Farming and it is these that the IceFish bursary specifically supports.
The 14th Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition will take place 18-20 September 2024 at the Smárinn, Fifan Halls Kópavogur, Iceland. A must-attend event for all commercial fisheries organisations and associated businesses.
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If you would like to sponsor, exhibit or attend 2024 IceFish, please contact the events team on +44 1329 825335 or email icefish@icefish.is.
